Pencil sharpener



July 1950 N. ARANT 2,513,704

PENCIL SHARPENER Filed Dec. 9, 1947 INVENTOR. NARI/ELLE ARA/VT A 7' TORNE Y Patented July 4, 950

UNI TED STATES OFF! p p pencil. snanrnnnn I Narvelle Arant, San Franciscq. Qalif. I Application December 9, 1947, Serial No. 790,491

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to pencil sharpeners and more particularly to a wood chip and graphite dust catcher therefor.

Among the objects of the invention is the provision of a receptacle in combination 'with a manual pencil sharpener, which will retain the wood chips and graphite dust incidental to sharpening lead pencils by rotating them against a cutting blade.

Another object is to facilitate the assembling of the device in streamlined form convenient for carrying in the pocket of the user.

A further object is the provision of such a receptacle designed to be cheaply molded in transparent or tinted plastics that will indicate when the receptacle is full.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description proceeds. In the specification and accompanying drawings the invention is disclosed in its preferred form. But it is to be understood that it is not limited to this form, because it may be embodied in modifications within the spirit of the invention as defined in the claim following the description.

In the one sheet of drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a pencil sharpener constructed in accordance with this invention, portions being broken away in cross section.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the same from the front end.

Fig. 3 is a plan view from above of the same, a portion of the receptacle being broken away and disclosing the underlying sharpenin blade.

Fig. 4 is a rear end view of the sharpener, with the receptacle in vertical section on the line IVIV, Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a plan view from beneath of the receptacle.

In detail the structure shown in Figs. 1 to 4 comprises the plastic body I of the pencil sharpener, having the usual tapered hole 2 extending into the body. The beveled blade 3 is countersunk into the top of the body and overhangs and extends into the hole 2 and is fastened by the screw 4 threaded into the body I, the screw head being below the plane of the top of the body. The apex of the hole 2 is enlarged as at 5, to clear the exposed center lead of the wooden pencil, to prevent breakage by the lead jamming in the tapered hole when the pencil is forced longitudinally into and rotated within the hole.

When the sharpener is held in one hand and the pencil is inserted and rotated by the other hand, the blade 3, cuts a shaving or chip from the periphery of the wooden pencil, until the 2 graphite center lead is exposed at the end within the gap 5, where the blade shaves the lead to a fine or coarse point as desired. The wood chips and graphite dust are expelled along the cutting edge of the blade and from the gap 5. The functioning of the sharpener is conventional.

The body I of the sharpener is modified by having the longitudinal side sockets 6, I cored therein on opposite sides of the hole 2. The lateral edges of the body I are corrugated as at 8, 9 to provide a better frictional hand grip for resisting the rotation of the pencil against the cutting edge of the blade.

It has been the practice heretofore to sharpen a pencil in this manner, permitting the wood chips and graphite dust to fall to the floor, unless the user stands over a waste basket or takes other measures of disposal.

In the present invention the chip receptacle shown in Fig. 5, comprises a streamlined shield having the domelike portion In extending across the top of the body I above the cutting assembly at 3. The lower edges and the end of the dome portion fit snugly against the top plane of the body I. The bulbous end portion II extends beyond and fully encloses the rearward end of the body I, with its lateral and bottom edges I2, I3, I4 respectively bearing snugly against the end plane of the body I.

The receptacle has the tapered, integral wedge prongs I5, I6 extending forwardly from the edges I2, I3 respectively, and adapted to extend into the end openings 6, 1, and adapted to wedge therein and frictionally hold the receptacle I 0, I I in operative position, as in Fig. 1.

In this position the receptacle will catch and retain all the waste incidental to the sharpening operation. The receptacle can be easily removed by holding the body I between the thumb and forefinger of one hand and pressin the thumb against the front end of the dome portion at IT, until an opening occurs between the edges I2, I3 and the end of the body I, through which the contents of the receptacle can be shaken out, without entirely removing the receptacle from the body.

The receptacle is preferably composed of a molded transparent plastic that will disclose the contents of the receptacle. The body I and the receptacle may be made in contrasting colors for a. better sales appeal.

Having fully described the invention and its mode of operation what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A pencil sharpener comprising a body having a tapered opening extending inwardly from its front end and a pair of sockets extending into its opposite end on opposite sides of said tapered opening, respectively; a cutting blade fixed on said body with its cutting edge extending into said 5 tapered opening; a chip receptacle having a dome with its lower edges contacting the side of said body on opposite sides of said cutting blade and across the. end of said body above said tapered opening and extending outward'beyond the said 10 1,154,325

opposite end of said body with its inner edges contacting the end of said body in angular relation to said dome edges and having prongs extending from said inner edges into said sockets and securing said chip receptacle to said body. NARVELLE ARANT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

